"Rickea Jackson isn’t in a relationship with anyone": Sparks star drops bombshell announcement on split with NFL boyfriend ahead of Falcons debut

LA Sparks star Rickea Jackson dropped a bombshell announcement on social media, all but confirming her split with NFL boyfriend, James Pearce Jr., who plays for the Atlanta Falcons. Jackson and Pearce Jr. had seemingly been together since the NFL draft. Social media posts from the night show the Sparks star sitting next to Pearce Jr. on draft day.

A few months later, Jackson and Pearce Jr. appear to be at a crossroads. In recent weeks, fans have been speculating whether the two are still together. Jackson's post on Snapchat on Wednesday had a telling message, seemingly confirming the end of her relationship with the NFL rookie. The image shared by her was captioned:

"Rickea Jackson isn't in a relationship with anyone. Haven't been for a LONG time. Hope this helps."

James Pearce Jr., now reportedly Jackson’s ex, will make his NFL debut on Saturday. The Atlanta Falcons selected him in the first round with the No. 26 pick.

Meanwhile, Rickea Jackson is enjoying a solid sophomore season in the WNBA, averaging 14.9 points and 3.3 rebounds, shooting 42.1% through 35 games this season.

Rickea Jackson and the LA Sparks are on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention

After a tough and long season, the LA Sparks (19-21) find themselves ninth in the standings. They are trailing the Indiana Fever (21-20) for the eighth spot by a game and a half and have four games remaining on their schedule.

Over the coming week, Jackson and the Sparks will face the Atlanta Dream, Dallas Wings, Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces. All remaining opponents except the Wings have clinched playoff spots. The Dream, Aces and Mercury each have a 27-14 record.

How Rickea Jackson and the Sparks perform to close out the season could affect the playoff picture. However, the team will look to grab as many wins as it can over this stretch to overtake the Indiana Fever.

Despite adding a player with championship experience and an abundance of quality in Kelsey Plum, the Sparks find themselves falling just short of their goal for the 2025 WNBA season. The team will return to the court on Friday to face the Dream at Gateway Center.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Sameer Khan